For Business

Commercial EPC.
Engineered. Financed. Built.

Cannon Solar is a turnkey commercial EPC. From feasibility to PTO, we handle the engineering, capital stack, construction and service - so you get clean power and a stronger P&L.

Get a Commercial ProposalSee the process
$2.1M
Avg lifetime savings
30%+
Federal ITC + bonus
6–8 yr
Typical payback
25 yr
Performance warranty

Projects built to last.

Capabilities

Full EPC under one roof.

In-house engineers, project managers and W-2 crews own every project from kickoff through year-25 service. On larger and multi-region builds we partner with vetted subcontract crews under Cannon supervision and QA - one accountable EPC, with the bench depth to scale.

Feasibility & ROI

Site assessments, utility tariff analysis and financial models so you know the payback before signing anything.

Engineering & Permitting

Stamped PE drawings, structural reviews, AHJ permits and utility interconnection - handled in-house, not outsourced.

Procurement & Install

Tier-1 modules, string and central inverters, racking and BOS - sourced and installed by Cannon's W-2 crews.

Financing Options

Cash, CapEx, PPA, lease, and C-PACE - we structure the deal that works for your balance sheet and tax position.

Monitoring & O&M

Every site we build flows into CANOS - our in-house service ops platform - for 24/7 monitoring and SLA-tracked service.

Warranty & Performance

25-year module warranty, 10–25 year inverter coverage, plus a Cannon production guarantee on every system.

How it works

From utility bill to lights-on in 4–6 months.

A predictable, milestone-driven process. One project manager, weekly status updates and a single point of accountability from first call to PTO.

01

Discovery & site walk

We pull 12 months of utility data, walk the roof or ground, and identify shading, structural and interconnection constraints.

Week 1–2
02

Proposal & financing

You receive a side-by-side model: cash, CapEx, PPA and C-PACE, with year-by-year cash flow and IRR.

Week 2–4
03

Engineering & permits

Stamped PE plans, structural letters, AHJ permits and the utility interconnection application - all in-house.

Week 4–12
04

Construction

Cannon W-2 crews mobilize. OSHA 30 supervisors on site daily, weekly progress photos and a single PM as your point of contact.

Week 12–18
05

Commissioning & PTO

Inverter commissioning, AHJ final, utility witness test and Permission to Operate. Lights on.

Week 18–22
06

Monitoring & O&M

Hand-off to CANOS for 24/7 fleet monitoring, SLA-tracked service, and an annual production review.

Year 1–25

Capital structure

Four ways to finance, modeled in parallel.

Every proposal includes a side-by-side comparison so your CFO can pick the structure that maximizes after-tax IRR for your business.

Cash purchase
Upfront
Highest
Ownership
You own day one
Tax
ITC + MACRS + bonus depreciation
Best for
Profitable companies with tax appetite
CapEx loan
Upfront
Low down
Ownership
You own day one
Tax
ITC + depreciation; interest deductible
Best for
Companies wanting ownership without full upfront
PPA / Lease
Upfront
$0 down
Ownership
Third party owns
Tax
Off balance sheet, no tax appetite needed
Best for
Non-profits, schools, low-tax-appetite firms
C-PACE
Upfront
$0 down
Ownership
You own day one
Tax
ITC + depreciation; long-term fixed rate
Best for
Real estate owners, multi-tenant assets

The IRA stack puts wind at your back.

Federal, state and utility incentives can cover 40–60% of total project cost for the right asset - we model every credit and adder upfront.

30% federal ITC

Investment Tax Credit on the full installed cost. Stackable with bonus depreciation.

Bonus depreciation

Accelerated MACRS schedule means most of the asset is depreciated in the first five years.

Adders up to +20%

Domestic content, energy community and low-income bonuses can push the ITC to 50%+.

State & utility incentives

SREC markets, performance payments, rebate programs - we model what's available in your zip.

Financing 101

How commercial solar gets paid for - explained.

There's no single 'right' way to finance a commercial array. Below is the honest comparison of every structure we model on real CFO term sheets - what each one costs, who keeps the tax credit, and which fits which kind of business.

StructureUpfrontOwnershipTermWho keeps the ITCHeadline return
Cash purchase100% of system costYou own day oneN/A - owned outrightYou (the host)12–22% after-tax IRR
CapEx loan / equipment finance0–20% down typicalYou own day one (lender lien)7–20 years, fixed or floatingYou (the host)10–18% after-tax IRR
PPA (Power Purchase Agreement)$0Third-party owner (TPO)15–25 years; option to buy at year 6–7Third-party ownerBill savings of 10–30% vs. utility rate
Operating / capital lease$0 to first monthLessor owns; you operate7–10 years typicalLessor (passes savings via lower payment)5–15% bill savings
C-PACE$0You own day one20–30 years, fixed rateYou (the host)Cash-flow positive year one

Cash purchase

Pay 100% up front. Capture every federal and state benefit yourself.

Upfront
100% of system cost
Term
N/A - owned outright
Ownership
You own day one
Return
12–22% after-tax IRR
Pros
  • Highest lifetime savings - no financing spread
  • Direct capture of 30–50% Investment Tax Credit + bonus depreciation
  • Shortest payback (typ. 4–7 years)
  • Free electricity for years 8–25+
Cons
  • Largest cash outlay - ties up capital
  • Requires federal tax appetite to use the ITC + MACRS
  • You carry warranty, performance, and operating risk
Best fit

Profitable C-corps and pass-throughs with tax appetite, healthy balance sheets, and a hurdle rate below ~12%.

Watch-out

If your effective tax rate is low, the ITC and depreciation bleed value - a PPA or lease may net you more.

CapEx loan / equipment finance

Borrow the project cost, own the asset, and let the system pay the loan.

Upfront
0–20% down typical
Term
7–20 years, fixed or floating
Ownership
You own day one (lender lien)
Return
10–18% after-tax IRR
Pros
  • Keep ITC + depreciation while preserving working capital
  • Loan payment usually less than current utility bill - cash-flow positive month one
  • Build equity in a 25-year asset
  • Refinance flexibility
Cons
  • Adds debt to balance sheet
  • Interest rate risk on floating structures
  • Still need tax appetite to monetize ITC
Best fit

Owner-operators who want long-term ownership economics without writing a 7-figure check.

Watch-out

Compare interest rate vs. PPA escalator - at 7%+ rates, PPAs sometimes win for non-tax-paying entities.

PPA (Power Purchase Agreement)

A third party owns and operates the system. You buy the electricity at a fixed, lower rate.

Upfront
$0
Term
15–25 years; option to buy at year 6–7
Ownership
Third-party owner (TPO)
Return
Bill savings of 10–30% vs. utility rate
Pros
  • Zero capital outlay - works for non-profits, schools, churches
  • Off balance sheet (operating expense)
  • TPO handles all O&M, performance, insurance
  • No tax appetite required
Cons
  • You don't capture ITC or depreciation directly
  • Annual escalator (typ. 1–3%) - model the back-end carefully
  • Long-term commitment; early termination has buyout costs
  • Lower lifetime savings vs. ownership
Best fit

Non-profits, K–12 / higher-ed, municipalities, hospitals, low-tax-appetite firms, REITs.

Watch-out

Push for a 0% or sub-2% escalator. A 3% escalator on a 25-yr deal can erode 40% of headline savings.

Operating / capital lease

Make fixed monthly lease payments. Often comes with a $1 buyout at end of term.

Upfront
$0 to first month
Term
7–10 years typical
Ownership
Lessor owns; you operate
Return
5–15% bill savings
Pros
  • Predictable fixed payment - easy to budget
  • 100% deductible operating expense (operating lease)
  • Faster to close than a PPA
Cons
  • Higher all-in cost than ownership
  • Less scope-flexibility - lessor sets equipment list
  • Capital leases sit on balance sheet (ASC 842)
Best fit

Mid-market companies that want simplicity and a predictable monthly OpEx line.

Watch-out

Confirm $1 buyout vs. fair-market-value buyout - FMV can sting at year 7.

C-PACE

Long-term, fixed-rate financing repaid through your property tax bill. Stays with the building.

Upfront
$0
Term
20–30 years, fixed rate
Ownership
You own day one
Return
Cash-flow positive year one
Pros
  • Longest term in commercial finance - payments < energy savings
  • Non-recourse, off-balance-sheet (in most states)
  • Transfers with the property at sale
  • Combine with ITC for compounded benefit
Cons
  • Only available in C-PACE-enabled states/counties
  • Mortgage lender consent required
  • Slower close (60–90 days typical)
Best fit

Real estate owners, multi-tenant assets, ground-up construction, deep retrofits.

Watch-out

Verify your jurisdiction is enabled and that your mortgage holder will sign the consent letter early.

Quick decision guide

Not sure which to pick? Start here.

We model every structure side-by-side in your proposal - you don't have to decide today. These are the rules of thumb our analysts use on the first call.

You have federal tax appetite & cash on hand
→ Cash purchase or CapEx loan wins on lifetime IRR.
You're a non-profit, school, or municipality
→ PPA or C-PACE - both are $0 down and don't need tax appetite.
You're a multi-tenant landlord or REIT
→ C-PACE: payments transfer with the building, off balance sheet.
You want a fixed monthly OpEx line and no surprises
→ Operating lease - predictable, simple, fast to close.
You want zero capital but want to own eventually
→ PPA with a year-6 buyout option.

Sectors

Sectors we serve.

Every commercial asset class has its own load profile, tariff and roof reality. We've engineered for all of them.

  • 500 kW – 5 MW rooftop

    Warehouse & distribution

    Acres of unshaded roof, daytime peak load - the textbook commercial PV asset.

    • Ballasted TPO/EPDM racking - zero roof penetrations
    • Daylight load match cuts utility kWh 60–80%
    • Optional 2-hour BESS for peak-shaving
    Primary value driver
    Demand-charge offset
    Estimate
  • 1 – 20 MW behind-the-meter

    Manufacturing & industrial

    High kWh demand and 24/7 process load - solar plus storage flattens your bill.

    • MV interconnection & substation tie-ins
    • Behind-the-meter or microgrid topology
    • Critical-load resiliency for process equipment
    Primary value driver
    kWh + demand reduction
    Estimate
  • 100 kW – 2 MW rooftop + carport

    Retail & shopping centers

    NNN passthrough recovery, tenant ESG marketing, and EV-ready canopies.

    • Shade-canopy carports with EV charging
    • Tenant-billable common-area meters
    • Branded customer-facing energy display
    Primary value driver
    Pass-through OPEX recovery
    Estimate
  • 150 kW – 1.5 MW

    Office & medical campuses

    Predictable weekday load, ESG visibility, and Class-A tenant retention.

    • LEED & ENERGY STAR contribution
    • Backup power for critical care suites
    • Real-time CO₂ dashboard for lobby display
    Primary value driver
    ESG + brand visibility
    Estimate
  • 1 – 10 MW ground-mount

    Agricultural & ground-mount

    Underperforming acreage becomes a 25-year revenue stream - solo or agrivoltaic.

    • Single-axis tracker for +20% production
    • USDA REAP grants up to 50% of cost
    • Sheep grazing & pollinator-habitat options
    Primary value driver
    Land lease + USDA REAP
    Estimate
  • 100 – 800 kW rooftop

    Multi-family & HOA

    Common-area solar plus virtual net metering passes savings to every unit.

    • VNM tariff modeling per resident
    • Master-meter or sub-meter compatible
    • Optional EV-charging network for residents
    Primary value driver
    Virtual net metering
    Estimate
  • 500 kW – 3 MW + BESS

    Cold storage & food processing

    Compressors run all day - your load curve is built for solar + battery.

    • BESS sized to flatten compressor cycles
    • Backup runtime for refrigeration loads
    • Heat-island mitigation on flat membrane roofs
    Primary value driver
    Peak-shaving + resiliency
    Estimate
  • 200 kW – 2 MW

    Schools, municipal & non-profit

    PPA financing means $0 down - taxpayers and donors keep more capital free.

    • Direct-pay ITC for tax-exempt entities (IRA §6417)
    • Curriculum-ready monitoring dashboards
    • Storm-season backup for shelters & cafeterias
    Primary value driver
    $0-down PPA / lease
    Estimate

Recent commercial projects.

Distribution center
1.8 MW rooftop
Atlanta, GA
$240K/yr savings · 6.4 yr payback
Cold-storage facility
850 kW rooftop + 500 kWh BESS
Charlotte, NC
Demand-charge cut 38% · $186K/yr savings
Multi-site retail
12 sites · 4.6 MW total
TN, GA, AL
Single-PPA portfolio · $0 CapEx

FAQ

Common questions from CFOs and facility leaders.

Have a different question? Talk to a commercial PM directly.

Start a proposal(888) 766-0260